I have been trying to hide myself away from the bitter disappointment of Blackpool’s Championship play-off final defeat this week by taking my wife Kim on a trip to the beautiful city of Rome.

It didn’t quite work out as planned.

There we were, taking in the ­spectacular sights of the Colosseum, the Vatican City and the Trevi ­Fountain when I was recognised by a West Ham fan.

He was, of course, thrilled by the Hammers’ 2-1 victory over my ­Tangerines team at Wembley last weekend.

But he still had the decency to shake my hand, wish me all the best for the future, and was even honest enough to admit that we were desperately unlucky not to be returning to the Premier League next season.

And do you know what? He was dead right. We deserved to beat West Ham.

What his kind words made me ­realise, though, was now is the time to start looking towards the future – both for me and for Blackpool Football Club.

That’s why I will be sitting down with my chairman Karl ­Oyston this week to discover whether he still wants the same things that I do. I know Mr ­Oyston was as proud as me about the way our team played at ­Wembley – and he will be just as ­disappointed that we couldn’t quite take the final step back into the promised land.

But I am hoping that when I meet up with him he will give me assurances that we will all redouble our efforts to achieve our aims next season.

I believe that me and my players worked miracles this season to finish in fifth place and then reach the play-off final.

Big clubs like Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, Leicester, Crystal Palace, Derby and Ipswich would have all swapped places with us.

And we achieved what we did on a budget that would bring tears to the eyes of most other managers in our division.

The Oyston family see themselves as the guardians of our club – and rightly so.

But I don’t want to gamble on the future of Blackpool, I just want to be given some more help in once again defying the odds. There were no demands from my chairman at the start of the season, apart from keeping Blackpool in the Championship. But that can become a double-edged sword.

There was no ­pressure on me whatsoever from the top, but at the same time a ­manager wants to know that everyone at the club is shooting for the stars rather than being happy to tread water. I might come across as a cocky so and so sometimes, but scratch beneath my surface and you will find I am like anyone else.

I need to feel wanted and respected by the men who employ me to do the job of work.

I think I have done Blackpool proud while we’ve been on the rollercoaster ride of the last three seasons and I hope that Mr Oyston feels the same. When I arrived in Rome at the start of the week, the ­unsettled weather matched my gloomy mood.

But as the week has progressed the storm clouds have lifted and so have my spirits.

I just hope that when I drive to Bloomfield Road down the Golden Mile this week the outlook for the future remains bright.

Reds owners shown their ruthless side

Liverpool's American owners proved in the way they dispensed with Kenny Dalglish that they are ruthless men. Kenny is a Kop legend, so whoever comes in knows that if they don’t make an immediate challenge for the top four the pressure will really be on.

End of an era: US owners were quick to remove an icon (Image: Getty)

Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers are two up-and-coming young managers in the Premier League who are already in employment. It didn’t surprise me one bit when Brendan turned down the opportunity to meet with John W Henry and Co. If a football manager speaks to another club he risks alienating the chairman, the players and the supporters of the team that pays his wages.

Roberto is lucky that his boss at Wigan, Dave Whelan, bears no grudges over his willingness to meet with Liverpool’s owners. But I am not sure that would be the case at other clubs.

Let Terry have his moment of glory

One of the saddest things I have ever seen on a football pitch was the sight of Roy Keane standing in the middle of the Nou Camp pitch in 1999 as the rest of his Manchester United team-mates collected the European Cup.

Chelsea's British defender John Terry holds the trophy after the UEFA Champions League final (Image: AFP)

That’s why I am struggling to understand why John Terry has come in for so much abuse for joining in Chelsea’s Champions League ­celebrations at the Allianz Arena. I thought it was endearing to see John get changed into his full kit for the trophy ceremony.

Of course, John was a fool to get himself sent off, but no-one will regret what he did more than John himself. And Mr Chelsea played a big part in the Blues becoming the champions of Europe with his performances in earlier rounds. I worry sometimes that there is an agenda against the Chelsea captain just because of who he is.